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HME News TV: Take care of your employees

High turnover and low productivity among employees could signal deeper problems within an organization, say human resource experts. Ana McGary, president of PeopleFirst Enterprises, and Frank Margulis, owner of Margin Consultants, spoke to HME News TV recently about why it's important to keep employees happy.

Organizational dysfunction

You might have the right people onboard, but if they are in the wrong position or are overwhelmed, then you've got a problem, says Margulis.

"They are going to be frustrated or angry," he said. "They might start coming into work a little late. They could look very busy, but as far as productivity, they are dissatisfied and the owners are dissatisfied."

To avoid this, it's important to match employees' skills and interests with their job descriptions, says Margulis.

"Nobody is good at everything," he said. "They key is, what do you get rid of that's weighing you down so that productivity goes up?"

HR dedication

Even the smallest company needs to dedicate resources to human resources, says McGary. That doesn't mean creating an entire department, though.

"If you have only one person, I would recommend that they become certified," she said. "It's professional development for them and the impact to the company would be enormous. Companies get into bad habits, and the HR person brings that to light."

It's also a good idea to develop an employee handbook, said McGary. That keeps employees and employers on the same page--and out of trouble.

"Look at some of the laws in your state about what's really important and have those policies in place," she said. "The most important: If an employee has a complaint or concern, how do they get that voiced and attended to?"

Employee burnout

And finally, between the recession and ongoing reimbursement squeezes in the HME industry, owners need to beware of creating employee burnout.

"We're all being asked to do more with less," said Margulis. "Initially, that's one of those necessary evils, but if you continue to require that, it's unsustainable over a period of time. Fine tune it as soon as you can."